I AM GOING DOWN TOWN TO SMOKE MY PIPE

THIS GAME IS PLAYED WITH A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE. ONE PERSON IS
PICKED AS THE MOTHER AND ONE PERSON IS PICKED AS THE WITCH. THE
REST ARE CHILDREN. THE WITCH GOES TO HER HOUSE WHICH IS IN A DESIG-
NATED AREA. THE CHILDREN THEN STAND IN A LINE AND THE MOTHER BEGINS
HER CHANT, POINTING AT EACH CHILD AS SHE SAYS EACH WORD:
I'M GOING DOWNTOWN TO SMOKE MY PIPE,
AND I WONT BE HOME TILL SATURDAY NIGHT.
I'LL WHIP YOU BLACK, I'LL WHIP YOU BLUE,
ESPECIALLY YOU, MY DAUGHTER SUE.
THE PERSON THE MOTHER POINTS TO WHEN SHE SAYS SUE WILL BE SUE
FOR THIS PART OF THE GAME. THE MOTHER THEN LEAVES AND THE WITCH
COMES TO THE DOOR. SHE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR AND SUE GOES TO ANSWER IT.
THE WITCH THEN ASKS FOR SOME PIE OR CAKE OR SOMETHING, AND SUE BRINGS
SOME TO HER, PRETENDING TO BE HOLDING IT IN HER HANDS. THE WITCH
THEN HITS SUES HANDS AND SAYS:
I DON'T WANT THE PIE, I WANT YOU, AND GRABS HER
AND TAKES HER TO THE WITCH'S HOUSE. THEN THE MOTHER COMES HOME AND
STARTS COUNTING HER CHILDREN, 1,2,3,4,5,6?6? WHERES 6? WHERES SUE?
SO THE MOTHER GOES TO THE WITCH'S HOUSE AND ASKS THE WITCH IF SHE
HAS SEEN SUE. THE WITCH ANSWERS THAT I THINK I SAW HER ON (AND SHE
MAKES UP THE NAME OF A STREET SUCH AS BANANA PEEL STREET), SO THEN
THE MOTHER GOES DOWN BANANA PEEL STREET, SLIPPING ON BANANA PEELS,
AND DOESN'T FIND SUE, SO SHE GOES BACK HOME. THEN SHE STARTS WITH
I'M GOING DOWNTOWN,
ALL OVER AGAIN UNTIL ALL THE CHILDREN ARE TAKEN
BY THE WITCH. SHE KEEPS SENDING MOM DOWN DIFFERENT STREETS SUCH AS
NAIL STREET, FIRE STREET, AND HOT FUDGE STREET,
UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE
CHILDREN TO GO HOME TO. SO SHE GOES BACK TO THE WITCH'S HOUSE AND
ASKS IF SHE COULD COME IN. THE WITCH SAYS YES BUT FIRST, YOUR FEET
ARE DIRTY, SO YOU MUST CUT THEM OFF. SO THE MOTHER CUTS OFF HER FEET.
THEN THE WITCH SAYS, YOU WILL GET BLOOD ALL OVER MY CARPET, WIPE OFF
THE BLOOD. SO THE MOTHER WIPES OFF THE BLOOD AND IS ALLOWED TO GO
IN THE HOUSE. ALL THE CHILDREN ARE LINED UP TOGETHER WITH THEIR
HANDS OUT, PALMS UP. THE MOTHER SAYS, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PIANO, MAY
I PLAY IT? THE WITCH SAYS, HERE, I WILL PLAY IT FOR YOU. AND SHE HITS
THE HANDS, AND THE CHILD WHO BELONGS TO THE HAND THAT IS HIT SAYS A
NOTE, (DO, RE, MI, ETC,) THEN THE MOTHER SAYS, I WANT TO PLAY IT AND
WHEN SHE HITS THE HANDS, THE CHILDREN REPLY, MAMA, MAMA, AND THE
MOTHER SAYS, MY CHILDREN, AND THEY ALL RUN HOME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN

Date learned: CA00001960